The Conservation Education Centre : Butterfly Gardening

Bountiful flowers and over those fluttering colorful butterflies; the idea of at home butterfly garden, appeals to everyone. One does not need a lot of yard space for the garden and even a small space in balcony can accommodate butterflies easily.

All you need is nectar-rich plants and host plants where they can lay their eggs. Give them proper space and butterflies and moths will definitely dwell in your garden.

Things to keep in mind as you plan your garden:

Size Matters: Many of the plants that attract butterflies require space to spread out, so choose large pots and planters, if you are planning the garden in yard, leave enough space around these plants.

Suitable Location: Butterflies generally get attracted to areas with ample sunlight, so place the plant pots accordingly. It is a good idea to situate the containers near a wall to block wind and provide the insects with shelter if needed.

Water Availability: Butterflies are not able to drink from ponds or birdbaths – they prefer shallow sources of water like puddles. So create an area where water collects after it rains, or create your own puddles around the garden to give your winged friends a place to sip.

Host and Nectar Plants: Choose a diverse range of host plants to attract different species, and be sure to include a few tall plants to provide additional protection from strong wind. Plants like Curry leaves, Lemon, Bryophyllum are known to be some of the most favored host plants whereas some of the nectar plants are Pentas, Verbaena, Kufiya etc. (This is the list for Delhi and most of the India states. Try to find out plants that are native in your localities.)

Climatic Preferences: The climatic preferences of various butterflies are important parameters and should be consider for butterfly gardening. For most of the butterflies May-November is the best season. In extreme climates during monsoon season, dry wind season and exhausting summers, the butterfly population tends to be sparse.

To know more, Write us at cecbnhsdelhi@bnhs.org

If you are in Delhi (India) then visit our butterfly park at Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary